November 10, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
417 
- Abelia rupestris. —This sweet-scented rock Abelia is now 
'flowering in profusion at the foot of a south wall, where its pink bell¬ 
shaped blossoms are much admired. It is but seldom we see a really 
good plant of this shrub, which is to be regretted.—S. 
- Berberis Thunbergi.—A large plant of this beautiful Bar- 
1 erry is now a splendid object in the Old Nurseries, Cheshunt. The warm 
glow of a rich sunset appears to flood the small leaves, and it stands out 
from the mass of withering foliage around it like a live ember among 
dead cinders. In the spring the foliage is of a tender green, and the 
white flowers are very attractive ; then comes the autumn glow, and 
after the foliage has gone the bright coral berries deck the plant. 
It has, therefore, three well-marked phases of beauty, and presents 
powerful c'aims to attention.—P. 
- Horticultural Exhibition at Ghent.—L overs of botany 
are looking forward with much interest to the International Horticul¬ 
tural Exhibition to be held at Ghent next spring. These exhibitions are 
held every five years, but the coming Show is expected to surpass in 
magnificence all that have yet been seen. Endless varieties of Orchids, 
Palms, Camellias, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Aroids, Conifers, Ferns, and 
other plants from all parts of Europe are to be exhibited. America is 
to contribute, and promise is made of some beautiful plants from the 
Congo. Prizes of medals and rich works of art are offered by the King 
and Queen of Belgium and by various societies and notabilities, amount¬ 
ing in total value to between 35,000 and 40,000 francs. 
- The Rainfall in October.—O ctober has in many respects 
been like the corresponding month of last year. There were the same 
number of wet days, but the total rainfall has been in this district 
somewhat lighter during the past month than October of 1891. Not¬ 
withstanding the great amount of wet we have hai, Dahlias and flowers 
■of a similar nature stood uninjured until the morning of the 24th, when 
11° of frost were registered. Rain fell on twenty-one days during the 
past month. Maximum in any twenty-four hours was l - 05 on the 
morning of the 31st. Minimum Odon the 25th. iTotal fall during 
the whole month 3'90 against 5 - 04of 1891.—E. Wallis, The Gardens , 
Hamels Park, Buntingford, Herts. 
- A Winter Tennis Court. —One on a large scale has recently 
been formed at Downside. Mr. Tate and his family are very fond of 
the game of tennis, but cannot play on grass in the winter, and do 
not care to take refuge in a covered place. As the substratum, and a 
very near one, is chalk, drainage was not required. The excavation 
made necessitated the removal of great quantities of this material 1o 
secure the needful level, the sides on the higher ground being sloped, 
soiled, and turfed. Then on the surface of chalk there was laid several 
inches of coal ashes, which was well rammed and rolled, and on the sur¬ 
face a coating of pounded or crushed red brick. This, again, is kept well 
rolled. The floor is devoid of that hardness which characterises asphalt, 
is porous, and soon dries, and being a trifle soft is elastic to the feet. 
The court thus made appears to be a striking success.—A. D. 
- Technical Education in Horticulture. —The Council of 
the Scottish Horticultural Association having been allocated a portion 
of the residue grant by the Town Council of the City of Edinburgh, 
has arranged a course of lectures to be delivered during the ensuing 
winter and spring. The scientific and practical aspects of the subjects 
chosen will be treated by eminent authorities, and the lectures will 
be free to all interested in the advancement of horticulture. This 
being the first time that such a course of lectures has been given in 
Scotland, and looking to the importance of the subject from a com¬ 
mercial point of view, it is to be trusted it will be well taken advantage 
of by the general public. Bursaries will be given to successful com¬ 
petitors, who must have attended three-fourths of the lectures, and must 
be under gardeners or nurserymen, and approved of by the Council. 
Intending competitors should intimate such, in writing, to the Hon. 
Secretary, Mr. Robert Laird, 17, South Frederick Street, Edinburgh, at 
the beginning of the session, and not later than the 1st December. 
The following lectures are arranged—“ The Chemistry of Plants and 
Soils,” by Mr. W. Ivison Macadam, F.R.S.E., &c. ; “The Structure and 
Physiology of Cultivated Plants,” by Mr. A. N. Macalpine ; “The 
Hybridisation, Selection, and Improvement of Plants,” by Mr. John H. 
Wilson, D.Sc., F.R.S.E. ; “ Hardy Fruits,” introductory lecture, by Mr. 
A. F. Barron, Chiswick ; “Apples,” by Mr. Dunn, Dalkeith ; “ Apricots 
and Cherries,” by Mr. Temple, Carron House, Falkirk; “ Peaches and 
Nectarines,” by Mr. Fairgrieve, Dunkeld ; “ Plums,” by Mr. Dunn, 
Dalkeith ; “ Strawberries,” by Mr. Temple, Carrron House, Falkirk ; 
and “ Pears,” by Mr. M‘Kinnon, Scone Palace, Perth. 
- Vine Culture in Rome.—A large section of the gardens of 
the Vatican is, says a daily contemporary, set apart for the culture of 
Vines, and the Pope takes a great pleasure in superintending their 
cultivation. The soil is somewhat poor and barren, but nevertheless 
the crop results in a fairly good quantity of Grapes, which make an 
indifferent wine. 
- Royal Meteorological Society. —At the ordinary meeting 
of the Society, to be held by kind permission of the Council of the Insti¬ 
tution of Civil Engineers, at 25, Great George Street, Westminster, on 
Wednesday, the 16th instant, at 7 P.M., the following papers will be 
read :—“ Thunderstorm, Cloudburst, and Flood at Langtoft, East 
Yorkshire, July 3rd, 1892,” by John Lovel, F.R.Met.Soc. ; “ On the 
Measurement of the Maximum Wind Pressure, and Description of a New 
Instrument for Indicating and Recording the Maximum,” by W. H. 
Dines, B.A., F.R.Met.Soc. The meeting will be closed at 8.45 p.m., when 
a special general meeting will be held to consider certain alterations in 
the bye-laws. A copy of the alterations proposed by the Council is open 
for inspection at the Society’s office at the above-mentioned address,— 
William Marriott, Assistant Sec. 
- Rudbeckia Newmani. — I never remember seeing this 
perennial so full of flower nor last so long as it has this year. The 
dripping weather experienced during August just suited this Rudbeckia, 
which is perhaps affected by drought more quickly than any other 
hardy plant in cultivation. A few dry days with hot sun and its leaves 
commence to flag. What a splendid contrast the flowers are with those 
of Aster amellus Bessarabicus 1 Although we have a quantity of both 
I mean to further increase them this autumn. For making a border gay 
during the month of September it is difficult to find anything to equal, 
let alone excel them.— Yorkshireman. 
- Cedars of Lebanon. —An American botanist has claimed for 
the Cedar in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, which was brought from 
Palestine by the elder De Candolle more than a century ago, the credit 
of being the oldest Cedar of Lebanon in Europe. There is evidence, 
however, as Mr. Veitch points out, that a specimen of this noble tree 
was introduced among us soon after the date of John Evelyn’s 
“ Silva, or Discourse on Trees, 1664 and there is, it appears, now 
growing at Bretby, in Derbyshire, a specimen known to have been 
planted in 1676. De Candolle’s tree has an interesting history, says a 
daily contemporary. The vessel in which he crossed the Mediterranean 
was unseawortby, and during the prolonged voyage the sailors and 
passengers suffered greatly from the scarcity of water, but De Candolle 
resolutely denied himself, and gave his scanty portion to the little tree, 
which, thus saved from perishing, has become the living monument of 
the great botanist. [Our contemporary is in error about De Candolle.] 
- A Late Cottagers’ Show. —Very unusual is it to see, so 
late in the year as November 4th, such a remarkable display of 
cottage garden produce as was furnished in the Corn Exchange, 
Farnham, Surrey, on that date. The local committee strive to join 
their cottagers’ show with that of Chrysanthemums, and whilst the 
latter suffer because shunted into an upper room where they do not 
attract much attention, or make a brilliant display, the cottagers’ 
department suffers because the products never are so good in quality 
as is the case when shown early in the autumn. The whole of the 
large Exchange Hall was literally crammed with Potatoes, all too 
too big and coarse ; Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Beet, Parsnips, Celery ; 
Cabbages, and various other winter vegetables, some very fair, bu& 
many showing need for more tasteful selection, also the effects of a 
cold wet autumn. There was very considerable competition in the 
classes, especially in those for six dishes, prizes given by Messrs. Sutton 
and Sons and the local committee. There was also a good competition 
in the gardeners’ class for twelve varieties of vegetables, for prizes 
offered by Messrs. Mortimer, Clarke, Harris, and Bide, all local seedsmen. 
A pretty group of plants sent by Mr. Dowden, gardener to the Bishop 
of Winchester, Farnham Castle, decorated the hall platform. Messrs. 
Mortimer, Cres 9 well, Harris, and others showed fair groups of Chiys- 
anthemums, but cut flowers were few; the season, so far, had proved 
to be far too late for the local growers. Grapes were very good, and 
some capital Apples and Pears were staged. A very fine collection 
from Mr. Bide attracted much attention, as also did a beautiful lot of 
Lady Selborne white Chrysanthemums in boxes from Mr. Mortimer. 
Late in the afternoon, Mr. A. Dean, representing the Surrey County 
Council, gave an address to a large number of the exhibitors, dealing 
chiefly with the exhibits, the good and indifferent qualities of which 
were pointed out. 
